Don’t burn the Koran…D’oh!

This afternoon I listened to a BBC World Service interview with Rev. Terry Jones.* He had publicized a plan to burn many copies of the Koran on Sept 11, the anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Eventually, he cancelled the event, saying that in simply planning the event, he had generated enough attention to the issue of militant Muslims.

Many people asked Rev. Jones to stop and he did. Others, such as PZ Myers, applauded the idea, although more as a way to show that one person’s holy item need not have value to others. Drawing Muhammed is only blasphemy to Muslims and Christians should not be afraid to do so. Myers is (in)famous for desecrating a Roman Catholic Communion wafer so, if Jones had burned copies of the Koran, Myers might have followed up, in the spirit of inclusiveness, by burning copies of the bible.

I disagree with Myers. Don’t burn the Koran (click to embiggen)!

I listened, as I wrote, to the interview this afternoon. In an early evening walk, I saw this SUV and knew I had to photograph it.

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*I really enjoyed the interview. While both the pastor and the interviewer were civil and allowed each other to speak, it was not a softball interview. Jones was questioned vigorously but politely and he kept cool throughout. His answers were sometimes weak, as I will soon describe, but he spoke calmly and clearly.

The interview drifted into other religious issues and homosexuality was brought up. Jones stated that the bible was against it. When questioned about other things the bible was against – wearing mixed fibers and shaving, for example, he backed away, saying he was not a theologian. It was as if he had decided he had read enough of the bible to lecture others but not enough to challenge any previously held beliefs. If he is not a theologian, why does he feel to comment on any part of the bible?